The Rise in the Number of Foster Children: Find Out the Recent Reforms to Encourage the Parents to Adopt the Children

According to the recent data from the United States Children’s Bureau www.chidwelfare.gov , there are approximately 380,000 children in foster care in the United States. These children are either abandoned or abused by their family members. As a result, it becomes difficult for them to continue living with their relatives.

The affected children are both male and female. However, there exists a slight bias towards the male. These children experience emotional distress due to the difficulties they encounter in life. The problems are worsened by the fact that majority of the children are still young (averagely 8 years)

Reforms to Encourage Adoption of Foster Children

Recently, the Australian authorities have adopted a method aimed at encouraging the parents to adopt foster children. The reforms advocate for rewarding of the parents that adopt these children www.humanservices.gov.au . The government has set aside $90 million to fund the reforms over four years.
Those parents that adopt young children of up to four years will receive a fortnight allowance of $488. On the other hand, the parents who adopt teenagers will receive a relatively higher allowance of up to $738 every fortnight.

Benefits of the Reforms

These efforts are meant to encourage parents to adopt the foster children regardless of their economic status. Traditionally, the adoption was seen as a preserve of the rich in the society. This was primarily due to the cost implications that come along with adopting a child.

The Role to Be Played By Both Parties

The parent (s) of the adopted child is expected to provide love and care to the children. They are also obliged to offering the basic needs to the children. Additionally, they should ensure that the child is well educated. This would go a long way in ensuring both mental and physical stability. The child is expected to get all the required social amenities from the parent.